Weather log October 2024
Key
WW= Willow Warbler
ST = Song Thrush
BB = Blackbird
Short dry fine spell ensued much of the first week (Lwn just trace rain to 5th):
Thu 3rd grass frost in places, air minima Pershore +0.8c, Shobdon 1.0c, CC 1.9c, Pembrey Sands 2.9c, CITE 3.6c, Lwn 3.7c, Trawsgoed 4.5c, Coventry 6.0c (grass min -0.7c), Nott 7.1c, Aberdaron 9.3c. Sunny periods, rather warm for October in many places, Lwn max 17.7c (warmest day since the Equinox Sept 21st). Other max Whitechurch 18.9c (warmest in UK), CITE 17.7c, Wellesbourne 17.5c, Trawsgoed 17.3c, Coleshill 17.0c, CC 13.7c.
Fri 4th widespread grass frost Mids and locally inland Wales, in contrast some coasts very mild; minima Shobdon 0.0c, Pershore 0.9c, Coleshill & Tirabad 3.0c, Coventry 3.4c (grass min -2.2c), Llanwnnen 3.6c, CL & Nott 3.9c, Aberdaron 11.5c. Mild sunny spells for many, warmest regional maxima Gogerddan 17.4c, Pembrey Sands 17.2c, Pershore 17.1c (Coventry & Lwn 16.1c).
Sat 5th locally grass frost Mids, South Newington (near Banbury) air min 0.9c coldest in UK then Shobdon air min 1.4c; generally feeling cooler in a keen wind today although Porthmadog managed 18.1c and Pershore 17.9c (Lwn 16.0c).
Tue 8th showers or longer spells of wet weather, isolated thunder. 2 inches locally especially W Mids. Heavy spells of rain affected parts of W Mids from late afternoon into the evening with an area from the west side of Coventry to Nuneaton getting large totals. MO wettest spots to 2100: Coventry (W Mids) 32.8mm, Market Bosworth (E Mids) 23.0mm and Scolton Park (Pembs) 38.8mm for Wales. Several Nuneaton PWS close to 50mm for the day.
Wed 9th 24 hour totals to 0900: Coventry 37.0mm (wettest day of the year so far for the city) although Finham (EA) in the south of the city received much less (18.6mm), and less still further east towards Rugby, KN (EA) 13.0mm, CL 13.2mm. Reports of a 'mini tornado' in the Finham area yesterday early evening.
Fri 11th widespread frost, air min Llanwnnen -3.8c the coldest reading by this stage in Autumn (October record though a much coldest -8.0c (25/10/2018). Other minima Tirabad -3.5c (coldest MO station in UK), Swyddffynnon -2.6c, Pembrey Sands -2.0c, Pershore -1.8c, CITE -0.6c, CL -0.1c, Nottingham +1.2c, Aberdaron 6.3c. Fine sunny day for many with unbroken sun parts of West Mids, rather cool though (max Coventry 13.0c, Lwn 13.3c, Whitechurch 14.4c). Sun Shobdon 10.1 hrs, Coventry 9.8c, Lwn est 8 hours.
Sat 12th widespread grass frost, air min CC -0.5c, Lwn & Trawsgoed 2.2c.
First half of October 2024
Rather cool or average temperatures; very variable rainfall from very dry to very wet; sunshine rather dull to average.
West Wales rainfall ranging from very dry (CC Snowdonia just 20% average) to wet (Pembrokeshire); Midlands rather wet to very wet with some locations up to the whole October average (60 - 70mm).
Rainfall totals to 0900 October 16th:
Valley c 35mm (rather dry), Capel Curig c 50mm (very dry), Trawsgoed c 35mm (very dry), Aberporth c 35mm (dry), Llanwnnen 55.3mm (rather dry), Pembrey Sands c 70mm (rather wet), Milford Haven c 94mm (wet).
Nottingham c 50mm (wet), Shawbury c 40mm (rather wet), Coleshill c 55mm (wet), Coventry 63mm (very wet), CL 39.6mm (rather wet), Pershore c 50mm (very wet), Hereford c 65mm (very wet)
Sunshine 1st to 15th Oct: Aberdaron 57 hours, Aberporth 44 hours (near average), Llanwnnen est 47 hours (average), Nottingham 41 hours (rather dull), Coventry 49 hrs (rather dull), Shobdon 42 hrs (rather dull).
Wed 16th warm humid and in places very wet airmass. At Llanwnnen the overnight low was 13.6c during the evening rising to 16c by 0500. Marches especially wet with E Mids staying mainly dry. 2 or 3 inches widely for Shropshire & Herefordshire contrasting with just a couple of mm across Warwickshire. Bishop's Castle (Salop) wettest EA gauge to midnight with 75.6mm, with nearby Pennerley (Stiperstones) 64.4mm the wettest MO station (2100); also Shobdon (Herefordshire 54mm). Widespread flooding across these counties also parts of S Wales where also more than 2 inches fell. Llanwnnen 24mm in the 24 hours to midnight unremarkable. Most places 17 to 19c well above average (13 or 14c), Pershore College max 18.6c, Trawsgoed 17.9c; St James Park, London max 22.5c today notable.
Sun 20th first named storm of the Season called Ashley by the Irish: this mainly affected NW UK although exposed NW Wales was hit too, highest gust Aberdaron 81mph which according to Derek Brockway was the strongest at that site for 10 years. Here at Lwn a normal windy day (certainly nothing above 50mph; also Pembrey Sands 58 mph. Rain in the morning cleared to sunny spells and mild.
So far October has not been too bad, not a washout as it often can be, with plenty of mainly dry and bright and mild days, could be the first month to reach average sunshine since January!
Towards month end mild or very mild and bright at times, very pleasant for late October:
Thu 24th very mild, sunny spells for many but some light rain or drizzle SW Wales: maxima Porthmadog 17.5c, Market Bosworth 17.2c, Pershore 17.1c, Trawsgoed 16.6c, Lwn 15.7c, CC 14.9c; Wellesbourne 6.6 hrs sun, Aberporth 4.9 hrs, Lwn 4.5 hrs estimated.
Fri 25th mild or very mild, maxima ROW 17.5c, Pershore & Trawsgoed 17.4c, Lwn 15.7c.
Mon 28th mild or very mild and a warm late October day for the Marches, maxima Hereford 18.7c, Shobdon 17.8c, Trawsgoed 16.3c, Lwn 15.3c, Coventry 15.1c.
Nature notes
During the fine spell early month up to 4 Painted Ladies sunning and feeding off fallen rotting Apples, also several Whites and Speckled Wood still active and a Dragonfly (one more Hornets sighting one day during the fine spell).
Martins and Swallows seemed to have disappeared...
Thu 3rd first Redwing heard to fly over the garden in the dark this evening (quite early).
Bees and a few Wasps often feeding on Ivy that is coming into flower.
Thu 10th southern forestry: secondary Foxglove flowers (i.e. not from main Summer stems) since late Sept. Cranesbills in bloom again up lane; much Gorse bloom (it can flower any time of year).
Mon 14th southern forestry: what looked like a primary Foxglove stem in flower (perhaps after the hedge trimmed back a few months back) also fresh bracken fronds.
Mon 21st driving back from Carmarthen my wife was surprised to see a House Martin enter a nest in the village of New Inn. I looked over and could see it was a fresh looking nest but the bird would have been inside by then after a few seconds. Don't think I have ever seen them this late (have seen them early, possibly mid October).
Been hearing a few Redwing fly over some evenings most of the month now. Think I saw a few Fieldfare at the forestry the other week too.
Bees, Wasps and small flies feeding off the Ivy nectar late month still, also a Red Admiral. Large White also seen in the garden one fine day.
Mon 28th Neuadd lane: Mild of late, birds especially active and vocal this afternoon, Wren brief burst of song, Tits calling including Great Tit 'teacher teacher'. Quite a show of Red Clover along the wide verge approaching the lane. Disappointing that the 2 Beech stumps surviving from when the trees blew over in a gale a few years back have been removed and replaced by a new fence section, they were clinging to life still with fresh shoots and supported other life such as Hawthorn growing out of one also other plants.
Month end: Ash have largely lost their leaves now while Oak are retaining most. Starlings back in some numbers in the village, prior to this one has been in song from next doors aerial where they have nested before. Garden at the end of ours has gone plastic (fake grass and plastic fence panels) at least more private (weak hedgerow grubbed out last year by our landlord).
Summary October 2024
Rather mild; rainfall varying from dry to very wet; sunshine rather dull to quite sunny.
Most of West Wales below average rain; Midlands very variable from rather dry to very wet.
Sunshine generally about the average, ranging from rather dull to quite sunny.
Here at Llanwnnen it was the driest October since 2017 (76mm) and sunniest since 2018 (99 hours) as well as the first above average month for sun since January; Coventry had its sixth successive wet October, this year being the driest one since 2018.
Rainfall totals October 2024
Capel Curig, Snowdonia 136.2mm (50%)
Mona, Anglesey 85mm (rather dry)
Aberdaron, Llyn Peninsular 89.8mm (rather dry)
Trawsgoed, Ceredigion 92.4mm (rather dry)
Aberporth, near Llangrannog c 65mm (dry)
Llanwnnen 111.2mm (72%)
Pembrey Sands, Carms 121.6mm (99%)
Milford Haven, Pembs 122.2mm (near average)
Nottingham c 65mm (near average)
Shawbury, Salop c 100mm (wet)
Coleshill c 90mm (rather wet)
Coventry, Bablake School 92.6mm (136%)
CL, Warks 61.6mm (92%)
Wellesbourne 65.8mm (average)
Pershore, Worc 78.6mm (121%)
Hereford c 125mm (wet)
Shobdon 127.2mm (151%)
King's Newnham EA gauge (near Rugby) 58.2mm
National Resources Wales (NRW) rain gauges Oct 2024
Llyn Cefni, Ynys Mon 90mm (rather dry)
Bethesda Quarry (Gwynedd) 121mm (dry)
Cwm Dyli (Snowdonia) 211.4mm (dry)
Abersoch (Llyn Peninsular) 106.6mm (wet)
Corris (near Machynlleth) 177.4mm (rather dry)
Bow Street (near Aberystwyth) 93.4mm (rather dry)
Pontrhydfendigaid (near Tregaron, Ceredigion) 104.8mm (dry)
Rhos Ymryson (near Gorscoch and 5 miles NW of Lwn) 115.4mm (rather dry)
Cellan (2 miles NE of Lampeter) 100.6mm (dry)
Pencader (Carms) 111.2mm (dry)
Abergorllech (Brechfa Forest, Carms) 132.8mm (rather dry)
Rhydargaeau (Carms) 120.4mm (dry)
Garnswllt (near Ammanford, Carms) 147.6mm (average)
Felinfoel (near Llanelli, Carms) 129mm (average)
Southgate, Gower 138.2mm (average)
Ferwig (near Cardigan) 81.2mm (dry)
Maenclochog (near Preselis, Pembs) 183.8mm (average)
Tenby (Pembs) 116.6mm (rather dry)
Bolton Hill (near Haverfordwest, Pembs) 101.2mm (rather dry)
COL stations rainfall
Llansadwrn 91.8mm (71%)
Ludlow, Salop 121.3mm (147%)
Alvechurch, Worc 83.1mm (99%)
Warstock, Brum 80.6mm (107%)
Cosby, Leic 66.5mm (96%)
Hinckley 74.0mm
Alcester (Great Alne) 121.3mm (192%)
Towcester, Northants 58.8mm (76%)
Sunshine totals Oct 2024
Aberporth 107 hrs (average)
Aberdaron 110 hrs
Llanwnnen estimated 95 hours (108%)
Nottingham 73.7 hrs (rather dull)
Shawbury 96 hrs (near average)
Coventry, Bablake School 88.3 hrs (87%)
Shobdon, Herefordshire 86 hrs (83%)
Wellesbourne 98.8 hrs (near average)
COL stations sun:
Ludlow 81.8 hrs
Alvechurch 73.2 hrs
Cosby 91 hrs
Towcester 104.6 hrs